Pollution level prods Noida officials into action

The Central Pollution Control Board’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 468, the severe category, on Tuesday.

The Central Pollution Control Board’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 468, the severe category, on Tuesday.(Virendra Singh Gosain/HT PHOTO)

With most of NCR choking under a thick cloud of smog on Tuesday, the Gautam Budh Nagar administration and the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board swung into action and conducted inspections at various industrial establishments, brick kilns and construction sites in Dadri.

The Central Pollution Control Board’s air quality index (AQI) stood at 468, the severe category, on Tuesday.

The Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) has directed governments to impose all conditions applicable to the ‘severe’ category under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

“We are taking all possible measures to fight pollution. Our inspections are on at various places and people have been fined. We have been spreading awareness among farmers to not burn their crop residue. We are taking all measures suggested under GRAP, to tackle pollution in the severe category,” said BN Singh, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar.

The district administration and the UPPCB have also written to authorities concerned for the poor conditions of roads leading to duct pollution. The UPPCB visited five construction sites on Tuesday.

“We have been visiting various construction sites to see if they have kept construction material in the open without a covering. We have also got in touch with CREDAI and other builders to ensure that they follow all NGT guidelines. We are sending reminders about the guidelines to industrialists and builders,” said an official from the UPPCB. Various brick kilns were also inspected by the officials of UPPCB and the district administration.

The UPPCB will wait for another 24-48 hours to decide on further stringent measures such as closing of schools and shutting of certain industrial sites.

On Wednesday, the UPPCB officials will be surveying Greater Noida (west) and Jewar area.

The authority also formed multiple teams and conducted inspections at under-construction sites and issued directions to cover construction material.

An official from the Noida authority was seen inspecting an under-construction house (E -154) in Sector 20 where construction material was lying uncovered. The supervisor then called the contractor and showed him the NGT guidelines and directed him to cover construction material.

“We cover it but bulls remove the cover. We know NGT guidelines are for our own health. We are cooperating with the authorities,”said Rajiv Gupta, the in-charge of the construction site.

Birpal Singh, a Noida authority official present at the site, said, “The authority has formed teams who are inspecting all construction sites in their area. All contractors working at authority owned sites have been directed to keep the material covered to avoid air pollution.”